long term care

Industry lobbying left nursing homes vulnerable in pandemic

March 7, 2021 by Editor Leave a Comment

Industry lobbying left nursing homes vulnerable in pandemic - North Carolina Health News

The nursing home industry has fought legislative efforts to improve staffing, spending millions in lobbying money to prevent reform.

By Sidney Madden, Braeden Waddell and Yanqi Xu, Investigative Reporting Workshop This story was originally published on The Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting. Published in collaboration with the Investigative Reporting Workshop. Even before COVID-19, aides caring for elderly and disabled people in nursing homes often were overworked and underpaid, doing everything from changing linens to […]

Coronavirus Today – March 2 – Vaccines for frontline workers; Some college students up soon; More access for disabled

March 2, 2021 by Anne Blythe Leave a Comment

Coronavirus Today – March 2 – Vaccines for frontline workers; Some college students up soon; More access for disabled - North Carolina Health News

Frontline workers in NC are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines beginning March 3.

By Anne Blythe As the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine begins to arrive in North Carolina this week, boosting battle supplies for a state a year into its fight against the coronavirus, Gov. Roy Cooper offered good news Tuesday for all those who work on the front lines in jobs they cannot do from home. […]

NC Health News takes home 14 NC Press Association awards

March 1, 2021 by Editor 1 Comment

NC Health News takes home 14 NC Press Association awards - North Carolina Health News

The awards celebrate advertising and editorial work of more than 160 member publications across the state.

North Carolina Health News won 14 awards last week during the North Carolina Press Association’s annual awards ceremony, five of which were first place honors for online publications. The Press Association honored work done from October 2019 through September 2020. “I’m incredibly proud of our entire team for the work they’ve done this past year,” […]

We see a purple sign with a yellow shot and white lettering that reads, "Hashtag Get Vaccinated," in front of the Laurels of Hendersonville, an assisted living facility building with colonial white arches.

Once used to fight outbreaks, ‘strike teams’ fill gaps in nursing home vaccinations

February 18, 2021 by Hannah Critchfield Leave a Comment

Once used to fight outbreaks, ‘strike teams’ fill gaps in nursing home vaccinations - North Carolina Health News

The disaster response teams are aiding long-term care homes that didn’t sign up for the CVS-Walgreens program.

By Hannah Critchfield Mark Shepherd got off the phone with the public health department and began reaching out to members of the Henderson County Rescue Squad. It was early January. The volunteers, all emergency medical professionals, were needed at The Laurels of Hendersonville, an assisted living facility about 20 miles outside Asheville. Shepherd, a physician […]

shows a young woman sitting next to an older woman, she's taking the older woman's blood pressure. Many such workers are needed in long-term care.

As the long-term care industry shifts, COVID-19 shortchanges NC’s frontline workers

February 17, 2021 by Thomas Goldsmith 2 Comments

As the long-term care industry shifts, COVID-19 shortchanges NC’s frontline workers - North Carolina Health News

Winds of change already shook NC long-term care industry at the beginning of 2020, but the threatening COVID-19 virus posed more questions in customary practices and workers’ compensation.

By Thomas Goldsmith The long-term care landscape in North Carolina was already in flux when the COVID-19 pandemic landed in 2020 — direct care workers faced 10 years of stagnant wages, nursing homes had waning numbers of residents, and the call for in-home aides had dramatically increased. Ongoing trends among residents, care workers and the […]

shows the back of a wheelchair, with an old and wizened hand on the arm of the chair

Project ECHO resounds throughout WNC

January 29, 2021 by Melba Newsome

Project ECHO resounds throughout WNC - North Carolina Health News

Long-term care facilities use a “guided practice” model to mitigate the coronavirus.

By Melba Newsome Each Monday at noon, Janice Somers closes her office door at Westwood Hills Nursing and Rehabilitation and puts her phone on Do Not Disturb. For the next 90 minutes, the nurse administrator and four team members join hundreds of employees from over a hundred North and South Carolina facilities for the Nursing […]

photo shows an elderly woman in a dress and cardigan looking out a window covered by a lace curtain

NC advocates: Adult Protective Services needs multi-million dollar boost from state to fight abuse and neglect

January 27, 2021 by Thomas Goldsmith

NC advocates: Adult Protective Services needs multi-million dollar boost from state to fight abuse and neglect - North Carolina Health News

Adult Protective Services in every county are charged with discovering and dealing with abuse and neglect of adults with disabilities. Now COVID has added cost and other burdens on workers.

By Thomas Goldsmith Sharnese Ransom works to protect adults with disabilities from neglect and abuse, both in her Raleigh neighborhood and when running the statewide group that represents North Carolina’s frontline troops against abuse of aging adults. The 2020 arrival of the pandemic has made it tougher on both settings. In fact, the state’s most […]

We see a group of healthcare workers holding signs that say, "#CherrySpringsStrong" while wearing masks and scrubs in the hallway of the long-term care facility.

Concerns grow over COVID fatalities in NC assisted living facilities

January 22, 2021 by Thomas Goldsmith

Concerns grow over COVID fatalities in NC assisted living facilities - North Carolina Health News

Assisted living centers in North Carolina and nationally notice growth in the numbers of COVID-related cases and deaths.

By Thomas Goldsmith It’s a statistic that could easily fly by at a time when the number of statewide COVID-related deaths have passed 8,300. But there are good reasons to take a deeper look at the 200 North Carolina residential-care residents who have been listed as COVID-related deaths each week beginning with Dec. 22 as […]

Shows an elderly gentleman with a face mask on and sleeve rolled up receiving a COVID vaccine from a nurse with purple gloves.

Coronavirus Today – Jan. 21 Trying to smooth out vaccine rollout; Biden pandemic plan; Free transit rides for a shot

January 21, 2021 by Anne Blythe

Coronavirus Today – Jan. 21 Trying to smooth out vaccine rollout; Biden pandemic plan; Free transit rides for a shot - North Carolina Health News

A year after the first COVID-19 case was reported in the U.S., North Carolina is looking to a new president for help fighting the pandemic.

By Anne Blythe On Jan. 21, one year ago, the United States reported its first case of COVID-19. Since then, the novel coronavirus has lost its sense of novelty within a state, country and world where employment, everyday life and typical rites of passage have been obliterated by the contagion. “As I reflect on one […]

We see Ester Amy Fischer hugging her mother while they take a selfie. Her mother Barbara, who wears a purple shirt with spotted patterns, is smiling with laughter.

For some long-term care residents, vaccine comes too late

January 20, 2021 by Hannah Critchfield

For some long-term care residents, vaccine comes too late - North Carolina Health News

What happens when an outbreak strikes a facility while residents inside wait for a vaccine?

By Hannah Critchfield UPDATE: Barbara Fischer, who was featured in this article, died of her COVID-19 infection on Jan. 23, three days before she was scheduled to get vaccinated. Our thoughts are with her family. Even as North Carolina enters the second phase of its vaccine plan, some long-term care residents are still waiting for […]

Additional Thanks

Categories